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The Fearrington House Inn

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Fearrington House Inn anchors a small residential community and retail complex just eight miles south of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Spread out over the picturesque village, each of the 32 rooms and suites has a distinct design and character, yet all are outfitted with luxe touches such as original Southern artwork, fresh flowers, a complimentary mini-bar, and other outstanding amenities like a decanter of port placed by your bedside at turndown.

The grounds formerly belonged to a family for two centuries before being converted to a country village, and you can take a trip back in time as you stroll by the old silo, admiring the Tennessee fainting goats grazing in the lush meadows (who were chosen because their black-and-white fur matches the roaming Belted Galloway cows), and dine in the 1927 Colonial revival farmhouse, which is now Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star The Fearrington House Restaurant, which serves outstanding, innovative seasonal dinners as well as the hotel’s sumptuous breakfasts and afternoon teas.

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Our Inspector's Highlights

Though it’s a far cry from city life, the Inn anchors Fearrington Village, a small but bustling residential community. You'll experience plenty of things to do, from trying a local North Carolina brew at Roost or shopping for luxurious bath products and pajamas at Haven.

You won’t be surprised to find fresh bouquets on nearly every table and luxurious Frette linens on the beds, plus little extras like a complimentary decanter of port placed beside your bed each evening. But the black-and-white Belted Galloway cows lazing in the meadow and the lawn’s whirligigs made by local folk artists will catch your eye and set the scene.

The vast grounds formally belonged to a family for two centuries before being converted to a country village, anchored by the inn and restaurant. Take a trip back in time as you stroll by the old silo, attend a special event in the dairy barn, admire the Tennessee fainting goats grazing among the pine trees, and dine in the 1927 Colonial revival farmhouse, which is now the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Fearrington House Restaurant

The 4,000-square-foot Four-Star Spa at Fearrington has a Swedish farmhouse feel with eye-catching artwork and silver-gray tones, which give guests one more reason to feel relaxed after stepping foot on the property of this Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Inn.

Things to Know

The Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star inn actually came into existence because proprietor R.B. Fitch and his wife Jenny had created a vibrant restaurant, and they wanted membership in Relais & Chateaux, the organization of luxury hotels and restaurants. The company told them that they would need an inn in addition to their restaurant, so they promptly built accommodations to match.

While you will have free Wi-Fi access and a TV in your room with a fine lineup of cable channels, that’s about the extent of the available technology. It’s actually one of the reasons that we love The Fearrington House Inn: the peace and quiet is enough to make you quit that tech addiction for a while.

With the exception of wedding parties and other celebrations, people tend to come to The Fearrington House Inn for its peaceful atmosphere. Only plan on taking your child to the stately The Fearrington House Restaurant if they’re over twelve years old and extremely well behaved, as couples looking for a romantic meal will surround you.

The gym is located in the Duke Center for Living’s Health and Fitness Center, located a five-minute drive away adjacent to an assisted living community within the Fearrington Village community. The outdoor pool, meanwhile, is in the Fearrington Swim & Croquet club, about a five-minute drive away, or 20-minute walk from the inn.

The Rooms

The rooms at The Fearrington House Inn are done up in the style of a genteel English country inn with plenty of floral prints, oil paintings and bursts of flowers. It’s like stepping into a toned-down Merchant Ivory film.

As you check in, you will receive a heavy brass keychain, which holds your key to your picturesque cottage — one of several nestled among impeccably maintained gardens and towering oak and magnolia trees.

Each room at the Five-Star inn is decorated differently, but you’ll find that the window drapes, bedding and upholstery are saturated with English-garden checks and toiles in pale greens, peach, rose, light yellows.

The Fearrington House Inn conjures up an English country cottage and the bath amenities inside each bathroom reflect the British aesthetic. Bath products are all by Molton Brown of London and include the company’s purifying plum-kadu shampoo and conditioner plus the purifying ambrusca line of shower gel, lotion, bath salts and neatly wrapped packages of soap.

Nearby Attractions

Visit North Carolina Museum of Art. Located about 45 minutes away in Raleigh, the museum has an impressive collection of Auguste Rodin sculptures, modern architecture and a 164-acre park to explore.

Visit North Carolina Botanical Gardens. This site features several large display gardens, an educational center and natural area — it’s located 15 minutes away in Chapel Hill.

Visit downtown Pittsboro. The historic town of Pittsboro may be small, but it’s not sleepy — you’ll find a slew of shops with local antiques and quaint, casual eateries.

Visit the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As the oldest public university in the United States, the school has a beautiful campus rich in history.

Visit the North Carolina Zoo. Located in Asheboro, it’s about a 40-minute drive from the luxury inn but is worth a visit if you have the time — you’ll see bears, giraffes, lions, zebras and a whole lot more.

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